Bluefin Tuna

Description

The Bluefin Tuna is a prize trophy for the angler. It is one of the most valuable fish in the world. A Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) aka, horse mackerel and northern bluefin tuna, is regarded as one of the most highly evolved fish species and one of the most prized fish in danger of overfishing. These are one of the most magnificent fishes in the sea with an average lifespan of 15-30 years.

The Bluefin tuna is the largest of the tuna family and can weigh over 1000 lbs. Anglers catching a Bluefin Tuna are in for a long battle. While the Bluefin Tuna is ample it demands the heaviest tackle combined with the strength of the angler.

Behavior

“Tuna,” originating from the Greek word meaning “to rush,” usually swim at speeds of 1.5-4 knots, and can maintain 8 knots for quite some time, and can break 20 knots for short runs. They can dive as deep as 900 m (nearly 3.000 ft.) and are known to swim long distances, as they are a highly migratory species. Atlantic blue fins are dark blue to black near the dorsal surface and silvery near the ventral surface.

Biology

The Bluefin is known for the finlets that run down their dorsal and ventral sides toward the anal fin. There are 12-14 spines in the first dorsal fin and 13-15 rays in the second dorsal fin and the anal fin has 11-15 rays. Atlantic bluefin are homeothermic (“warm-blooded”) and are therefore able to thermo regulate keeping their body temperatures higher than the surrounding water, which is why they are so well adapted to colder waters.

Habitat

Atlantic bluefin live in subtropical and temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean, and Black Seas. Bluefin are highly migratory and limited numbers of individuals may cross the Atlantic in as little as 60 days and are widely distributed throughout the Atlantic and can be found from Newfoundland all the way down the coast of Brazil. They range in the eastern Atlantic as far north as Norway and down to northern West Africa. Bluefin tagged in the Bahamas have been captured in Norway as well as off the coast of Brazil. Bluefin in the South Atlantic belong to a distinct southern population, with known spawning areas south of Java, Indonesia. The bluefin is a pelagic, schooling fish and tend to group together according to size